I don't like doing things more than once. I loathe transferring information from handwritten to digital format. My patience level is fairly low, so I want information quickly. I think that these personality quirks have been crucial in the development of my love of technology. Fortunately, technology has evolved quickly to calm my quirks!
In education, sometimes I feel as though we continue to retread, rename and attempt to reinvent the wheel. The wheel is SO 20th century! Why are we not working on our hovercraft and jet packs? Let's throw away the wheel and move past "that's the way we've always done it." The way we have always done it is the problem.
Today's students are learning. They are learning critical thinking skills in the games they play, including some physics and geometry from Angry Birds. They are learning about the world and current events from Twitter. They are learning about personalities, marketing and business from Facebook. And anything else they want to learn? They just Google it.
My hope is that educational leaders will use these technology pieces. They are the hovercraft and jet packs, or at least the beginnings of them. Why oppose gameification of classes? Why block smart phones and personal devices? We take away the way students learn outside of our classrooms and yet expect them to conform to the outdated wheel.
Technology makes me happy. Embrace it! You just might like it too.
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Flattening My World
Some days, something unexpected happens. Yesterday was one of those days. Let me clarify two things: 1. I love educational technology. 2. I believe that education must adapt to our students.
Prior to leaving the classroom, I was fortunate enough to find Edmodo. It was love at first sight. The ease of adoption was fantastic. Kids loved it. Assignments, communication, polls, communities, connecting with other teachers and other features made this a tool I have to have. Since I was in a lab setting, this tool made everyday fun! The kids always wanted a poll everyday when they came into class and let me know when I forgot. Discussions were in depth and facilitated easily with the tools provided through Edmodo.
I've presented on Edmodo to various groups across Missouri. At each conference, I win "converts" to the Edmodo platform. However, I had never had the opportunity to attend a conference session on Edmodo myself. It was my fault as the support and webinars offered by Edmodo were constantly on the calendar. I had just never made the time to really listen.
Until yesterday. EdmodoCon2011 flattened my world for 11 hours. From the very first of the conference until the wrap-up session, I was engrossed. The presenters were amazing. From my cubicle, I shouted "YES" as Nic Borg told us quizzes would be added. My workday ended, but I stayed until that session was over, only to run to my car, race home and catch the next session. From my couch, I listened to my new Australian friends describe how Edmodo had transformed their teaching too, and I knew, truly, the world is flat.
To be a part of a conference that was so interactive was quite simply AMAZING. From 50 countries and 49 US states, we listened, we chatted, we interacted on the community site, and we tweeted. We were one. We were all.
In the post-EdmodoCon2011 Twitterverse and community group this morning, a new term was coined. Educational Woodstock. I am so proud that I was there. I am so happy that I have made new connections. I am thrilled to be a part, however small, of the Edmodo community!
Prior to leaving the classroom, I was fortunate enough to find Edmodo. It was love at first sight. The ease of adoption was fantastic. Kids loved it. Assignments, communication, polls, communities, connecting with other teachers and other features made this a tool I have to have. Since I was in a lab setting, this tool made everyday fun! The kids always wanted a poll everyday when they came into class and let me know when I forgot. Discussions were in depth and facilitated easily with the tools provided through Edmodo.
I've presented on Edmodo to various groups across Missouri. At each conference, I win "converts" to the Edmodo platform. However, I had never had the opportunity to attend a conference session on Edmodo myself. It was my fault as the support and webinars offered by Edmodo were constantly on the calendar. I had just never made the time to really listen.
Until yesterday. EdmodoCon2011 flattened my world for 11 hours. From the very first of the conference until the wrap-up session, I was engrossed. The presenters were amazing. From my cubicle, I shouted "YES" as Nic Borg told us quizzes would be added. My workday ended, but I stayed until that session was over, only to run to my car, race home and catch the next session. From my couch, I listened to my new Australian friends describe how Edmodo had transformed their teaching too, and I knew, truly, the world is flat.
To be a part of a conference that was so interactive was quite simply AMAZING. From 50 countries and 49 US states, we listened, we chatted, we interacted on the community site, and we tweeted. We were one. We were all.
In the post-EdmodoCon2011 Twitterverse and community group this morning, a new term was coined. Educational Woodstock. I am so proud that I was there. I am so happy that I have made new connections. I am thrilled to be a part, however small, of the Edmodo community!
Monday, May 16, 2011
Just Thinking
First, let me say I love my job. It is my dream job. I feel that my voice does matter and that maybe I'm having a positive impact on teachers and students on a state level.
This morning, I had a meeting, about a meeting to plan a meeting for another meeting. One of the things brought up was the "inclusion" of many other people in several of these strands of meetings. I thought that optimal group size for "productivity" were 7 +/- 2. My fear? That having larger meetings just leads towards more meetings to plan yet more meetings. When does the actual work get done if we are meeting about meetings?
Don't get me wrong, according to the Kolbe test, I'm a strong fact-finder and follow-through person. I like a good debate, I like knowing all the facts. The follow-through part of me though is poised to step-in immediately when those facts have been established and get to work.
Why couldn't technology be used to decide some of the issues at these meetings? Is there anything wrong with using an application such as Google Docs/Forms to have discussion online? To vote and contribute anonymously without feeling the pressure of philosophical discussions and "high-faluting mumbo-jumbo" would, just maybe, help things be accomplished more quickly.
In education, we talk about technology integration, we talk about curriculum, we talk about assessment. Yes, we talk. Wouldn't it be nice to instead say...in education we fully integrate technology, we have a continually updated, relevant, rigorous curriculum, we have assessments that allow us to evaluate student achievement.
In a perfect world...now, I'd better get ready for my next meeting.
This morning, I had a meeting, about a meeting to plan a meeting for another meeting. One of the things brought up was the "inclusion" of many other people in several of these strands of meetings. I thought that optimal group size for "productivity" were 7 +/- 2. My fear? That having larger meetings just leads towards more meetings to plan yet more meetings. When does the actual work get done if we are meeting about meetings?
Don't get me wrong, according to the Kolbe test, I'm a strong fact-finder and follow-through person. I like a good debate, I like knowing all the facts. The follow-through part of me though is poised to step-in immediately when those facts have been established and get to work.
Why couldn't technology be used to decide some of the issues at these meetings? Is there anything wrong with using an application such as Google Docs/Forms to have discussion online? To vote and contribute anonymously without feeling the pressure of philosophical discussions and "high-faluting mumbo-jumbo" would, just maybe, help things be accomplished more quickly.
In education, we talk about technology integration, we talk about curriculum, we talk about assessment. Yes, we talk. Wouldn't it be nice to instead say...in education we fully integrate technology, we have a continually updated, relevant, rigorous curriculum, we have assessments that allow us to evaluate student achievement.
In a perfect world...now, I'd better get ready for my next meeting.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
It is time...
I've been thinking about blogging "for real" for months. Ideas float in my head, but I have no real audience. When I attend conferences, I get all "gushy" inside with the technology and its uses in education. Part of that is because I taught technology in the Business Education classroom for years. Then I realize my affinity for all things technology and making technology work for me is embedded in my DNA. My father is an innovator. He sees a problem, and devises things to make that problem a non-issue. His work can be seen in buildings all over Kentucky. My mother's father, my beloved Grandad, was very similar. A WWII vet, he was a mechanic who "tinkered" with anything and everything. He was probably one of the few 65 year olds to buy an Atari as soon as they came out. Were he still alive, he would definitely have an iPad, Wii, smart phone and all the other gadgets. I think that this spirit has led me to my passion. So, in addition to workshops, planning conferences, and my own consulting company, I am going to make an honest attempt to blog...and keep my thoughts for educators and all of those that just love technology and the good things it can bring!
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